The Fenway Institute is at the center of some of the most promising and relevant HIV and LGBT health research being conducted today.

HIV/AIDS Research

Fenway conducted some of the first studies to define the sexual practices that lead to HIV transmission, and was the first center to perform testing for HIV antibodies in New England. This knowledge has led to the development of model programs of HIV counseling and testing, and prevention education. Fenway is a member of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network and was the first site to enroll participants in HIV preventive vaccine studies in New England, with more than 300 persons participating in these studies to date.

The Fenway Institute was one of two U.S. sites involved in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrating the effectiveness of a new HIV prevention tool, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). We are a member of National Institute of Health’s Microbicide Trials Network and participate in clinical trials of both vaginal and rectal microbicides. Fenway has been a leader in developing behavioral prevention interventions for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, those who abuse substances such as crystal meth, sex workers and other groups associated with higher rates of HIV infection.

Other Domestic Research

Researchers at The Fenway Institute were able to demonstrate tangible benefits associated with the legalization of same sex marriage by showing that gay men are able to lead healthier, less stress-filled lives when states offer legal protections to same-sex couples. We work to identify and address new public health problems that may affect sexual and gender minorities disproportionately, such as recent outbreaks of Methicilin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). The Fenway Institute has been a clinical site supporting the extension of HPV vaccinations to young men and to continue to improve currently approved HPV vaccines for young women to be protective from more strains of HPV.

The Fenway Institute’s findings have been published in distinguished medical journals, including JAMA, The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, the American Journal of Public Health, and Clinical Infectious Diseases, and presented at national and international meetings, including meetings of the International AIDS Society, American Public Health Association, and Population Association of America.

International Research

The Fenway Institute is bringing our expertise in health education, HIV prevention and research to confront the international AIDS epidemic. We are leading research and evaluation projects in, Vietnam, Thailand, Brazil, and Zambia. Fenway is collaborating with community-based organizations Sahodaran in Chennai (Madras) and The Humsafar Trust in Mumbai (Bombay), India, to develop and implement research and education programs. This has lead to projects involving HIV prevention interventions for men who have sex with other men (MSM) and transgender women who may engage in unsafe sexual practices. Because MSM often face severe legal and social sanctions in India, this work is vital to addressing the rapidly expanding HIV epidemic there.